Why To Use Natural Skin Care Products If You Have A Chronic Illness

Why choose natural skin care products? I’m going to share a quick overview of some of the potential health impacts of chemicals that you’d think are safe—after all, they’re in everyday products like lotion, shampoo, deodorant, and soap. I hope this post is a useful resource for learning more about the ingredients in skin care products so you can choose healthier options, especially if you have a chronic illness.

If you’re already dealing with chronic illness or health issues (like I am—more on that below) it’s even more important to address irritants and triggers that could be contributing to underlying conditions—or just making overall health worse.

And even if you’re healthy, there are many reasons everyone should avoid harmful chemicals lurking in skin care products.

Here’s a quick look at chemicals to avoid, where you can find more research about those chemicals, and resources for finding healthier alternatives.

And stay tuned, because in my next post I’m going to be sharing my favorite natural skin care products. It’s literally taken me years to put together this list through trial and error (and allergic reactions) to find out what doesn’t flare up my health conditions. I’m really looking forward to sharing this post, in the hopes that it will save others the time, money, and frustration I’ve gone through.

As a disclaimer, I’m not a doctor or any kind of skin care specialist. I’m a chronically ill woman who has read a lot of labels and a lot of articles on the ingredients that show up on those labels.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I receive a portion of sales, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase. All recommendations are my own. Thank you for supporting my blog through your purchase! 

Why Avoid Certain Chemicals With Chronic Illness?

I’m really passionate about the topic of natural skin care and personal products because what we put on our bodies matters. This is especially true for those of us with chronic illness.

My health conditions include asthma, fibromyalgia, POTS (postural orthostatic hypotenstion), autoimmune disease, chemical sensitivity and other chronic illnesses. I was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 29.

My body reacts to even natural things in my environment and my food, so it makes sense that I’m also more sensitive to chemicals, fragrances, and artificial ingredients.

When I first got diagnosed with these conditions, several doctors emphasized the fact that the skin is the body’s largest organ. They wanted to make sure I was avoiding products or triggers that could be flaring up my conditions.

I thought I was doing all the right things, but I’ve found the more research I do, the more things I find to avoid. I switched to more natural products starting in my mid-teens, but I quickly learned that the labels that say “Natural,” “Organic,” “For Sensitive Skin,” could be misleading. It’s been an ongoing process of switching to products that have more natural ingredients. It really takes a detailed look at the ingredients and what those ingredients are derived from to know whether or not a product is the right choice for you.

I’ve learned so much about the impact of products on health and would have done so many things differently if I’d had the information I have now. My hope is to help even a few people improve their health or lower their risk of negative health consequences.

What Chemicals To Avoid?

Here are some resources that can help you learn more and make more informed choices about what skin care products you choose—and which ones you avoid.

Here are some of the chemicals I avoid (not a complete list):
Fragrance
Perfume
Sulfates
Parabens
Phthalates
Propolene glycol
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)
PFAS
Tocopherol Acetate

What exactly are these chemicals? For more information on them, and a more complete list of what to avoid, check the MADE SAFE Hazard List of Chemicals, Materials & Ingredients. This organization certifies nontoxic products.

Long story short: even chemicals with innocent-sounding names can have adverse affects. I look up anything I don’t recognize.

For instance, did you know that the word “fragrance” on a product can mean that product contains any number of thousands of chemicals? (Source: SafeCosmetics.org) They don’t even have to identify them on the label, and you’re left with no idea exactly what or how many of those chemicals you’ve just been exposed to. That’s one reason “fragrance” is especially a red flag for me.

I recommend checking your products at the Environmental Working Group website to see how the ingredients are rated. Their rating system is easy to understand and broken down by individual ingredients.

Here’s a further breakdown of the impact chemicals can have on your body.

What Impact Can These Chemicals Have on Health?

Did you know that chemicals in skincare and personal products can harmfully impact your nervous system, endocrine system, and that some are even linked to cancer?

I’d recommend especially being aware of endocrine disrupters—this article discusses several that show up in food, personal care products, cookware, and more. Here’s the EWG’s list of 12 Hormone-Altering Chemicals and How to Avoid Them.

I’ve already had thyroid cancer—I don’t need any further harm to my endocrine system. I’ve been much more thorough and careful after my cancer diagnosis.

Speaking of cancer, here is EWG’s Dirty Dozen: Cancer Prevention Edition.

There’s some overlap with the other resources I’ve listed above, but here are 12 Ingredients To Avoid In Cosmetics & Skin Care Products from Mind Body Green.

Learn more about PFAS, aka “forever chemicals” in this Consumer Reports article: I Tested My Blood, Tap Water, Household Products, and Cat for PFAS. They’re in numerous products, not just skin care. Find out more in this infographic from EWG.

If you’d like to watch a documentary on the topic of chemicals in products and reasons to avoid certain ones, I’d recommend Stink! which is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime.

Next Step: Do Your Own Research And Make Changes As Needed

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I hope it encourages you to dive in and do some research for yourself. There are many other resources I could have included (but I think this post is long enough!) and many articles I’ve read over the years that have helped me get a grasp of what I am and am not comfortable using on my skin.

I hope this post has been helpful on your journey toward healthier skin care.

You can find other resources I’ve pinned to my Natural Health and Beauty board too.

I know delving into this topic can be overwhelming, but the benefits are worth it. Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging—here is my list of my favorite natural products.

You can subscribe below if you’d like to be notified when that post (and any new posts) go up on my blog.

If you learned something new in this post about skin care products and chronic illness,
I’d love for you to share in the comments!
Did you find something in one of your products you didn’t expect? Will you be trying new products?

Note: This blog post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a health care provider, and what I share is based on my personal experiences.  Always talk to your doctor when making changes to your treatment or before trying something new.

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